Engine-starter.



C. H. CUNO.

ENGINE STARTER.

AAPPLIOATION FILED 23.16. 1912.

Patented Jan7,1913.

5 vwe wtoz c. H. CUNO.

ENGINE STARTER. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 16, 1912.

5 mm ntoz CKARLES H. CU'NO, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT.

:ENGINE-STARTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J 2111.7, 1913.

Application filed February 16, 1912. Serial No. 677,97}.

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,FJ. 4 Vi Be it known that 1; CHARLES H. CoNo,

fa citizenof the U11ited States,--residing at Alei'iden, New Haven countv, 'State of Consfiiecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engine-Starters, of

. which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to means for start-.

ing motors of the internal combustion variety, and relates to the employment with a multiple cylinderengine of a simple and effect ve means for charging the cylmders thereof while stationary, with an explosive mi'iztui e, which mixture may be ignited for the purpose of starting the engine, therebyeliminating the necessity of the usual manual cgranking thereofi. In the drawings, Figure 1 is a central sectional view of the complete apparatus, on the line 1-1 of Fig. 4. Fig. 2 is a similar view with parts broken away and showing certain parts in a ditterent position. Fig. 3

is a view similar to Fig. 2, showingparts in still another position. Fig. 4: is a.section of the apparatus on the planeof the line 4-4 I have shown my invention as applied to a six-cylinder engine, in which type of engine there is no socalled dead center.

The invention relates particularly to the means for receiving from a suitable source of supply and measuring oft certain predetermined amounts of gas which are trans- ,ferred to theseveral cylinders of the engine whereby, when sparking occurs within one device adapted to a six-cylinder engine.

The cylinders 22 each contain a piston 3, which is preferably spring-pressed, as by a ,spring5, so as to move to oneend of the cylinder. The oylinders 22 are preferably arranged in a-circle for compactness.

. (3 isua receiving cylinder arranged in this instance between .the cylinders 22 and car-- rying a piston valve, 7, which valve is capa-. ble of moving to and fro in the cylinder 6',

but is held in any suitableway against rotation there-in.

8, is a spring for normally holding the piston valve 7 at one end of the cylipder 6. 9 is an adjusting device for the spring 8,

whereby its pressure againstthe piston 7 may be varied. This adjusting'device may be made in any suitable way, as, for example, by a threaded plug, as shown, which screws into the end of the cylinder 6 and bears against the spring 8, so that by turning said plug. it maybe mOVBd'fiI and outto'vary the effective tension of said spring.

10 is a lock for the plug 9. the same being in the form of a U-shaped spring, the ends of which press into notches arranged around the end of "the cylinder 6, so that when said springs are lifted out of said notches, the plug may be freely turned for adjustment. At other times, the plug is held against rotation.

11 is a stop shoulder in the cylinder 6 to limit the excursion of the piston valve 7 toward the plug 9. The plug has acentra-l air passage or vent.

12 is a gas cook of any suitable form, in this instance rotatable by a. manually controllable thumb-turn 13.

The various parts may be assembled on any suitable frame work 14, and. may be provided with any suitable means for attachment to any convenient part of the vehicle with which the engine is associated, for example, the dashboard of an automobile or the bulkhead of a motor boat. The particular form of the main frame may be varied as exigencies require.

The feed inlet 1 leads into thegframe 14 v adjacent the gas cock 12. The gas cock has an angular transverse bore 15 and a longitudinal bore 16,'Whl(2l1 latter leads to. the space within the cylinder 6 above the piston valve 7.

17- is a packing at the upper end of the pistonzyalve 7.

18 is adownwardly opening check valve which controls a central bore extending partially through the piston valve 7 and communicates with lateral passages 1919 which correspond to the number of cylin: ders employed.

20 is a spring for the check valve 1.8.

PrO ecting laterally from the cylinder 6 are passages 2121 which lead to the several cylinders 22 and enter the same at points below the pistons 3 therein.

are distributing outlets in the walls of the cylinders G, which outlets lead to the several engine cylinders.

In the side wall of the piston valye 7 are longitudinal grooves 2323, which are :of sufficient length to connect the passages 19 with the outlets 22 when the piston stands in the position shown in Fig. 1, that is, in 2 its uppermost position. v 'endsof the passages 1919 are .closed by In this position the will register with the latera passages 21 which communicate with the cylinders 22, at which in'stant the gas will be forced through said passages into said cylinders 2-2, in turn forcing the pistons 3-3 therein back against the tension of the springs 55 until said cylinders 22 are filled with gas at the desired pressure, which pressure is determined by the tension of the s ring 8, which controls the piston valve 7. hen the cylinders 22 are filled with gas at the desired pressure, any excess .pressure above this will cause the piston valve 7 to be depressed still more, to the osition shown in Fig. 3, thereby cutting o a further supply to the cylinders 2-2. The gas cock 12 may then be turned so as to shut ed the inlet 1 and at the same time vent the space above the piston valve -7 through the outlet 24, so as to allow the piston to be forced back to its original position under einfluence of the spring 8. This outlet vent 24 should preferably lead to the intake manifold, with which internal'co'mbustion engines are usually provided, so that said gas will not be wasted. In a broad sense, this is immaterial and unnecessary to the working of the parts previously described. When the piston valve has fully ascended, it will stand in the position indicated in Fig. 1, in which position the interior of the cylinders 2 are in direct open communication with the several engine cylinders as before 'de'- scribed, whereupon the gas contained in'the severalcylinders 2-2 will be forced by the pistons 3 and springs 5 through the various distributing outlets 22-22 to the respective engine cylinders to provide in each of said Cylinders an initial. charge of gas, which, of course, should be suitably proportioned to the air contained therein to provide the necessary explosive mixture. The engine is now ready to start and will start upon causing the usual spark to occur within the en gine cylinders. Obviously any suitable sparking apparatus'may be employed and constitutes no essential partof this particular invention. \Vhen sparking occurs in the engine 0 linders, they will be successively fired an the engine will be started. Danger of explosion in the foregoing apparatus.

is eliminated b reason of the fact that all gas has been discharged therefrom and the source of supply has been efiectively cut oil".. As a further safeguarding means, however, it is preferable to provide a check valve (not shown) at the several pipe lines which lead to the several cylinders of the motor. The

several distributing pipes which. leadthe distributing outlets 22 will, of court Se,

be connected with-the several engine :cyli e ders at a suitable point above the most position of the 'iaistpns therein, t'hg ticular method an? said distributing. w ria'ble at will.

'I have-also shown, in thepresent; tail of a further which'it may be (1 rable in certain pins of apparatus toiempioy, namely, means 7.

guaranteeing the introduction into theses},

eral engine cylinders of at least somefre uncontaminated air. This I provide as f lows: Each of the cylinders 2 is provided with an air pipe 25. leading from its rear end into the cylinder 6 at a point below the, piston valve 7 therein when the latter, is iri its uppermost position (see Fig.

piston in each of the cylinders 2 'advanc'estl .will be seen that fresh air will be drawn through the pipe 25 into each cylinder 2 so as to fill the same. When the piston valve 7 is advanced by the introduction of gas, the longitudinal grooves 2323 in the piston valve 7 will connect the ends of the air pipes 25 with the distributing outlets 22 (see Figs. 2 and 3), so that while gas is entering one end 0% the cylinders 3 and forcing the pistons;back therein, fresh air in the other ends of sa-i'd'cylinders will be forced and a movable means in the first mentioned cylinder for putting the second mentioned cylinder in communication with said distributing outlet when said movable means is in one position and for putting said first mentioned cylinder in communication with described, a gas receiving cylinder having a valved inlet, a gas distributing cylinder, a spring-pressed piston therein, a duct leading from the first mentioned cylinder to the .sec-

'ond mentioned cylinder, a distributing outlet leading from the first mentioned cylinder, and a movable means in the first mentioned cylinder for putting the second mentioned cylinder in communication with said dis-- tributing outlet when said movable means is in one position and for putting said first mentioned cylinder in communication with said second mentioned cylinder when said movable means is in another osition, said movable means comprising a piston valve.

3. In an engine starter of the character described, a gas receiving cylinder having a valved inlet, a gas distributing cylinder, a spring-pressed piston therein, a duct leading from the first mentioned cylinder to the second mentioned cylinder, a distributin outlet leading from the first mentioned cylinder, a movable means in the first mentioned cylinder for putting the second mentioned c linder in communication with said distr1b uting outlet when said movable means is in one position and for putting said first mentioned cylinder in communication with said second mentioned cylinder when said m0vable means is in another position, said movable means comprising a piston valve, and a spring operating against said valve at one end to move it into position to putjhe second mentioned cylinder in corsmifnication with said distributing outlet.

4. In an engine starter of the -character described, a gas receiving cylinderlhaving a valved inlet, a spring-pressed pistkon valve in said cylinder, a valved passage rom one end of said piston to one side wall tiiereof, a

distributing cylinder having a springpressed piston therein, a duct leading from the first cylinder to the second cylinder and arranged to register with the passa e in said piston valve when the latter stan sin one position, adistributing outlet in the wall of the first mentioned cylinder, and a passage in said valve arranged to connect said duct with said distributing outlet when said piston valve stands in another position.

5. In an engine starter of the character described, a gas receiving cylinder having a valved inlet, a spring ressed piston valve in said c linder, a valve passage from one end ofsaid iston to one side wall thereof, a distributing cylinder having a springpressed piston therein, a duct leadin from the first cylinder to the second cylin er and arranged to register with the passage in said piston valve when the latter stands in one po sition, a distributing outlet in the wall of the first mentioned cylinder, a passage in said valve arranged to connect said duct with said distributing outlet when said piston valve stands in another position, and an airpipe leading from the open end of the first mentioned cylinder to the second mentioned cylinder and communicating with the latter at the end remote from the first men- .tioned cylinder, said air pipe being in communication with the distributing outlet when said piston valve is in said second position.

6. In a gas engine starter of the character described, means for measuring a predetermined volume of gas and a predetermined volume of air, and for discharging both of the same through a distributing outlet arranged to lead to the cylinder of a gas engine, said predetermined volume of air being discharged in advance of said predetermined volume of gas.

7. In a gas engine starter of the character described, means for measuring a predetermined volume of gas and a predetermined volume of air, and for discharging both of the same through a distributing outlet arranged to lead to the cylinder of a gas engine, and an adjustable means for varying said predetermined volume of gas.

8. gas engine starter of the character desc'ribed, means for measuring a predetermined volume of gas including a receiving cylinder and a distributing cylinder, means for putting the latter in communication with a distributing outlet ar ranged to lead to the cylinder of a gas engine, means for putting the first mentioned cylinder in communication with a supply of gas under pressure, and means for cutting off said communication and for putting the interior of said first mentioned cylinder in communication with the regular gas supply pipe of a gas engine.

9. In an engine starter of the character described, a gas receiving cylinder having a valved inlet, a gas distributing cylinder,

a piston therein, a duct leading from the first mentioned cylinder to the secondmentioned cylinder, a distributing outlet leading from the first mentioned cylinder, and a movable means in the first mentioned cylinder for putting the second mentioned cylinder in communication with said distributing outlet when said movable means is in one osition, and for putting said first mentioned cylinder in communication with said second mentioned cylinder when said movable means is in another position.

10. In an engine starter of the character described, a gas receiving cylinder having a valved inlet, a gas distributing cylinder, a piston therein, a duct leading from the first mentioned cylinder to the secondmentioned cylinder, a distributing outlet leading from the first mentioned cylinder, and a movable means in the first mentioned cylinder for putting the second mentioned cylinder in communication with said distributing outlet When gaid movable means: is in one position, and for putting said first mentioned cylinder in comnmnication with said second mentioned cylinder when said movable means is in another position, said movable means comprising a piston va 11. In an engine starter oi the character described, a gas ieceiving cylinder having a valved inlet, a gas distributing cylinder, a piston therein, a duct leading from the first mentioned cylinder to the second mentioned cylinder, a distributing outlet leading from the first mentioned cylinder, a movablemeans in the first mentioned cylinder for iutting the second mentioned cylinder in communication with said distributing outlet when said movable means is in one position and for putting said first mentioned cylinder in comnninic: ion with said second mentioned cylinder when said movable means is in another 'pceition, said movable means comprising a piston valve and means operating against said valve to move it into position to put the second mentioned cylinr der in communication with said distributing outlet.

CHARLES H. CUNU.

Nit nesses R. A. Somme, GEn'rBUnn E. CLARK.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

